Hshuma!

Men gawking, catcalling and groping is a big problem here. Being a Western woman, I stick out, especially when they hear me speaking English. I’ve never gotten so much negative attention in my life! You just have to walk with your head held high and pretend you don’t notice.

However, today I learned a few things to fight back. Hshuma, or shame, is a very strong cultural term here. If you say “Hshuma!” it means “Shame on you!” or “Your mother would be ashamed!” Losing face in front of other people is the worst form of hshuma for Moroccans. The word is also accompanied by an optional gesture: pulling the lower eyelid down.

The next time someone tries to touch me I’m going to turn around, pull BOTH lower eyelids down and say “Hshuma!” very aggressively. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Sarah